01375nas a2200169   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042100001500059700001400074700001300088245003100101250001500132300001000147490000800157520099400165020004601159       2011                            d  c2295413074591 aKleinig T.1 aBrophy B.1 aMaher C.00aBack pain and leg weakness  a2011/10/19  a454-70 v1953 a<p>
Back pain is very common; it has a point prevalence of 25% and is the third most common reason for consultation in Australian general practice. A thorough history and examination can identify the minority of patients who require urgent neuroimaging or other targeted investigations. Careful correlation of clinical and radiological findings is required when abnormal neurological findings are detected. Radiological investigations may detect abnormalities at multiple levels but cannot confirm which level is primarily responsible for a patient's symptoms. A trial of conservative treatment is appropriate, even in cases of radiculopathy. Most patients with an acute episode of back pain recover within 6-12 weeks, but at least a third go on to have a recurrent episode within 1 year. Various invasive treatments, such as transforaminal steroid injection and discectomy, may speed up recovery from radiculopathy, but the long-term benefits of invasive treatment are uncertain.
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